1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable motion device wherein input rocking and rotating motion are imparted thereto, and the device responds with compound or unexpected alterations, primarily precession, to the initial motion. A preferred application is amusement rides.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Amusement rides essentially powered by the user are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,920,889, issued to Wilmer B. Keeling on Jan. 12, 1960, and 3,268,223, issued to Harold C. Woodsum, Jr. on Aug. 23, 1966. Keeling provides a seat located at the end of a Dole pivotally mounted at a base, and constrained to move within limits dictated by a circular travel area. Woodsum discloses a seat for one or more occupants mounted atop a pole which is solidly anchored to a floor or base. The seat member moves in whipsaw motion responsive to flexing of the pole.
A small carousel is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,881, issued to Henry F. Hedgecock on Aug. 20, 1968. The carousel is supported on a central stake driven into the ground below.
The above amusement rides do not provide compound or unexpected motions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,441,271, issued to Richard Palacios on Apr. 29, 1969, discloses an exerciser providing a plurality of rotating platforms, each supported on ball bearings. Although each platform rotates independently of the others, no compound motion is provided. Another exercise device is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,224, issued on Aug. 12, 1986 to Masakatsu Torii. The device has a platform mounted on an inverted dome, thus wobbling in response to movement by the person exercising. Movement of the device is responsive to balance and bodily control of the user, no unpredictable motions being present apart from abrupt response to the user's movement.
Irregular and unexpected motions are exhibited by a top, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,944, issued to Herbert F. Rondeau et al. on Jul. 27, 1971. The subject of this patent is a spinning toy top, and not an amusement ride. A general purpose device for producing omnidirectional rotation, but no random or unpredictable rotation, is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,718, issued on May 15, 1990 to Marvin J. Glover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,183, issued on Feb. 14, 1984 to Paul E. Reimann, discloses a training or amusement device which is suspended from above. The device rotates and can simultaneously bob up and down on its suspension means.
An amusement ride having a partially enclosed seat is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,849, issued to Victoria K. Reed on Sep. 4, 1990. The seat is supported on a member having a convex surface teetering on a base member having a convex surface of greater radius of curvature. No compound or unexpected component is asserted to be present in the tilting and rotation produced by the ride.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.